When former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney takes the stage at next week’s annual Values Voters Summit in Washington, DC, a gathering of religious-right leaders and activists, he will have interesting company: the GOP presidential candidate will be followed immediately by Bryan Fischer, issues director for the American Family Association.

Fischer has called President Obama a “fascist dictator” and asserted that Native American societies were a “slop bucket” that got what they deserved. Even America’s veterans aren’t immune to Fischer’s criticism: Last November, he warned that the Congressional Medal of Honor had been “feminized.”

Making things even more awkward, Fischer has had some pretty icy words for Romney in the past. As he tweeted recently: “All you need to know about Mitt Romney: makes headlines when he DOESN’T pander to somebody.” He’s also called Romney a “phony” and mocked him for expanding his California home. Perhaps more important, in April, Fischer stated that Romney’s Mormon faith “should be an issue” in the 2012 election. Might Fischer raise this “issue” at the Value Voters summit.

Republican candidates have consistently played political footsie with Fischer, despite his extremism. Tim Pawlenty, Newt Gingrich, and Herman Cain have all appeared on Fischer’s radio program, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry co-hosted a prayer rally in Houston in August with Fischer’s organization, the American Family Assocation. Romney’s appearance at the Values Voters Summit might help him court social conservative voters who play an outsized role in Republican primaries. But the appearance is a reminder that even a prominent Republican who has tried to stay clear of fringe right-wing conspiracy theories like those peddled by Fischer cannot succeed within the GOP without hobnobbing with extremists.

Reps. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul, Herman Cain, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum will also be speaking at the event.

Update: Right Wing Watch digs up audio in which Fischer states that Mormons aren’t guaranteed First Amendment rights, because they’re not real Christians.

If politicians will stop hobnobbing with these crazies, people will stop paying attention. Every time a serious politician or news publication invites them to anything, they are legitimized. Starting with the press: Ignore them!